DTIC ADA527913: The Plane Truth about DoD Undergraduate Helicopter Pilot Training Consolidation

47 Pages·0.11 MB·English

by  Defense Technical Information Center

The "Plane" Truth About DoD Undergraduate Helicopter Pilot Training Consolidation

CSC 1996

Subject Area - Training

EXECUTIVE SUMMARY

Title: The "Plane" Truth About DoD Undergraduate Helicopter Pilot Training
Consolidation

Author: Major Grant A. Webb, United States Army

Thesis: The Department of Defense (DoD) could save approximately a billion
American tax dollars by consolidating all DoD Undergraduate Helicopter Pilot
Training.

Discussion: The DoD operates two separate Undergraduate Helicopter Pilot Training
(UHPT) programs: the Army Initial Entry Rotary Wing course at Fort Rucker, Alabama
and the Navy UHPT program at Whiting Field, Florida. Since 1965 proposals have been
made to consolidate the two programs in order to eliminate redundancy and increase DoD
efficiency. For years, congress has reviewed the proposals and has voted against
consolidation primarily due to the differences in the training requirements of the Army
and the Navy. The primary difference in the programs is the Navy requirement to train all
Navy/Marine pilots in fixed-wing aircraft prior to training in helicopters. Nearly twenty
major independent studies have been conducted by the Services themselves, the DoD
Inspector General, the Interservice Training Review Organization, the Government
Accounting Office, and the Commission on Roles and Missions to evaluate the potential
and feasibility of consolidating UHPT. With only a few exceptions, the studies and
reports concluded that the Navy should discontinue training helicopter pilots in fixed-
wing aircraft and supported consolidation of all UHPT. Congress has continued to vote
against consolidation. This year, the DoD let a $7 billion contract to build 711 new fixed-
wing training aircraft for the Air Force and the Navy: the Joint Primary Aircraft Training
System (JPATS). The Navy is scheduled to receive 339 JPATS of which approximately
97 will be used to train helicopter pilots. The cost of the 97 aircraft is $955 million. At
the same time, the Army, which operates approximately 80% of the DoD helicopter fleet,
reports that its Aviation Center at Fort Rucker is operating at approximately 70% training
capacity and is capable of handling all DoD UHPT now. Additionally, the Army Aviation
Center excess training capacity will continue to grow as pilot training requirements
decrease.

Recommendation: The DoD should reduce spending and inefficiency by reducing the
JPATS purchase by the number of aircraft required to train helicopter student pilots,
discontinue fixed-wing training for Navy/USMC helicopter student pilots, and
consolidate all DoD UHPT at the Army Aviation Center at Fort Rucker, Alabama.
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CONTENTS
I. Should Undergraduate Helicopter Pilot Training Be Consolidated? 2
II. Parochialism and Politics 4
III. Decades of Political Quagmire 5
IV. Navy/USMC Curriculum 21
V. Army Curriculum 23
VI. Current Status of JPATS and NTH (TH-67) 24
VII. Issues and Resolutions 25
VIII. Conclusion 30
IX. It Can't Be Stopped 34
X. Notes 37
XI. Glossary of Acronyms and Abbreviations 41
XII. Bibliography 42
THE "PLANE" TRUTH ABOUT DOD UNDERGRADUATE HELICOPTER

PILOT TRAINING CONSOLIDATION

I. SHOULD UNDERGRADUATE HELICOPTER PILOT TRAINING BE

CONSOLIDATED?

Fiscal realities are forcing our government to relook the way we conduct business
and it has become apparent that very few institutions are sacred. In the past couple of
years this fact has shaken up the Department of Defense (DoD). The government has
pursued many ways to create greater efficiencies in the DoD, and one method has been
through the Base Realignment and Closure (BRAC) commission. The commission's
mission has been to identify inefficiencies and potential for savings by closing and
consolidating bases and posts around the globe. The reason for the existence of the
BRAC commission and other methods of improving efficiency in the DoD is due to the
decreasing defense budget, the shrinking DoD, and the ever growing national debt. By
closing and realigning military installations world-wide, we could potentially save
millions in the near term and billions over the out years. But the BRAC process is only
one of the methods that the government is using to create greater efficiencies; the
Secretary of Defense's recent Bottom Up Review and the Commission on Roles and
Missions (CORM) seek greater efficiency in government. Currently, the Joint Staff is
conducting a comprehensive review of roles, missions, and functions of the Services to
reduce unnecessary duplication in effort to produce maximum efficiency per dollar spent
on defense.
A prime example of redundancy in the DoD is undergraduate fixed wing pilot
training for the Air Force and Navy/USMC. Each service has operated its own
undergraduate flight training program, typically with different aircraft. Currently, the Air
Force and the Navy are making strides to make the training process more "joint" by
procuring a common Joint Primary Aircraft Training System (JPATS) that will be used to
train both Air Force and Navy pilots.
Another example of redundant training is the separate undergraduate helicopter
pilot training (UHPT) programs operated by the Army and the Navy. Potential exists for
major tax dollar savings by reducing the redundancy in the DoD training. This paper will
answer the question: "should all DoD UHPT be consolidated and if so, where should the
new UHPT be conducted?"
Currently, American tax payers fund two separate UHPT programs in the DoD:
the Army Initial Entry Rotary Wing (IERW) Course at the Army Aviation Center, Fort
Rucker, Alabama, and the Navy UHPT program conducted at Whiting Field, Florida. The
Army conducts all training for Army and Air Force helicopter pilots. The Navy conducts
training for Navy, Marine Corps, and Coast Guard helicopter pilots.
DoD force structure reductions have reduced the combined services UHPT
requirements. In FY 1989, the Army graduated 2,156 Army, Air Force, and international
students from its UHPT program at Fort Rucker.1 In 1991, the Army UHPT graduated
1551 students, and in 1994 the number decreased to 1203.2 Similarly, the Navy UHPT
program graduated approximately 550 Helicopter pilots in the same year. This year the
Navy proposes to train approximately 564 undergraduate pilots (Navy, Marine, Coast
Guard) and the Army proposes to train approximately 1330 pilots.3 The Army Aviation
Center at Fort Rucker has a capacity to train 1700 to 1900 undergraduate students
annually, although during the Vietnam era the Army Aviation Center produced 2,400
graduates per year.4 In light of the training capacity and reduced student numbers, the
Army Aviation Center has announced that it can accommodate all future DoD UHPT
requirements. The Army contends that considerable cost savings can be realized by
consolidation of UHPT through infrastructure reduction, utilization of common training
equipment, and implementation of standardized training.
The American public deserves the maximum efficiency in the DoD and military
officials and politicians are presently seeking ways to improve the way the government
operates. The proposal to consolidate UHPT could prove beneficial to the Services and
the American taxpayer. This paper will review the history behind UHPT consolidation
and will outline the issues involved with consolidation. It will discuss the pros and cons
and future implications of consolidation. Finally, it will propose consolidation of UHPT
at the Army Aviation Center.

II. PAROCHIALISM AND POLITICS

Consolidation of UHPT is not a new concept; the issue has been proposed and
studied since the 1960's. Besides the Services themselves, the DoD Inspector General
(DoDIG), the Interservice Training Review Organization (ITRO), and the Government
Accounting Office (GAO) have all conducted their own independent research studies to
evaluate the potential and feasibility of consolidating UHPT.5 With only a few
exceptions, all reports and audits concluded that it was feasible and cost-effective to
consolidate all DoD UHPT programs at the Army Aviation Center at Fort Rucker.6 As a
result of the 1970 review, the Air Force transferred its UHPT program to Fort Rucker.
There have been two primary reasons that have prevented consolidation. The first
is related to the differences between the curriculums of the Navy and Army UHPT
programs. Specifically, the Army UHPT consists of only helicopter training, but the
Navy's curriculum requires fixed wing training for helicopter pilots prior to receiving
UHPT. The second reason is porkbarrel politics. The President's budgets for the Fiscal
Years (FY) 1977 through 1980 proposed consolidating all helicopter training at Fort
Rucker. However, despite testimonial endorsement by the Secretary of the Navy, the
Chief of Naval Operations, and the Commandant of the Marine Corps supporting
consolidation of UHPT at Fort Rucker, Congress continually voted against the budget
proposals and directed continuation of the separate Army and Navy programs.7 The
influence of politics on the consolidation issue cannot be understated. Both Alabama and
Florida Congressional Senators and Representatives realize the potential adverse
economic impact if UHPT were to leave their state or district. Consequently, regardless
of what would be best for the whole, votes and deals have been cast to protect and
maintain the status quo.

III. DECADES OF POLITICAL QUAGMIRE

The DoD first considered consolidating UHPT in 1965. GAO recommended that
fixed wing training for Navy and Marine helicopter pilots be discontinued. Five years
later, the House Appropriations Committee asked the Air Force and Navy to consider
having the Army conduct all training for DoD helicopter pilots.8 Additionally, the
committee directed the Air Force and the Navy to discontinue fixed-wing training of
helicopter pilots.9
Consequently, in October 1970, the Air Force began sending their potential
helicopter pilots to the Army's UHPT program. However, the Navy considered fixed wing
training a critical part of the training process for students, and, therefore, the Navy did not
start training at Fort Rucker. The Navy used fixed wing training in their primary phase of
training, for all flight students and used the training results in the screening and selection
process for follow-on training. However, during that period, the Army trained 492
Marine helicopter pilots due to the Vietnam War pilot requirement.10 Also, the Navy
stated that additional helicopters were required if an all helicopter pilot training program
were to be initiated and that funds were not available to make such a purchase. Again, in
February 1971, a Defense staff study recommended that the Navy UHPT program be
discontinued and that the Army perform all training for the DoD. Again, the Navy
objected to the consolidation of UHPT for the same reasons.11
In August 1972 the Interservice Training Review Organization (ITRO) was
established by agreement of the Deputy Chief of Staff Personnel, USA; Director, Naval
Education and Training, USN; Assistant Chief of Staff, G-3, USMC; and Deputy Chief
of Staff, Personnel, USAF. The purpose of ITRO was to review Service training
programs and recommend ways of reducing cost and duplication. ITRO would conduct
several audits and studies on the UHPT concept.
In May 1974, the GAO conducted a study: Need To Assess Potential For
Consolidating Undergraduate Helicopter Pilot Training, Department of Defense. GAO
evaluated the potential for consolidation of UHPT in the DoD and concluded that the cost
of undergraduate training could be reduced by requiring that the Navy discontinue fixed-
wing training and consolidate all helicopter training at a single site. GAO recommended
that the Secretary of Defense consider directing the Navy to discontinue fixed-wing
training and move toward consolidating undergraduate training at one site under a joint
all helicopter program.
However, in December 1974, after the results of the May 1974 GAO report results
were released, OP-59 (Aviation Manpower and Training Office of the Deputy Chief of
Naval Operations) requested an opinion from the Judge Advocate General regarding
consolidation of UHPT. Specifically, OP-59 wanted to know if consolidation would
require an amendment of section 5012(b) of Title 10, United States Code (composition
and functions of the Navy taken from the National Security Act of 1947). The Judge
Advocate responded: "since the training of naval aviation personnel is a function
assigned to the Department of the Navy under 10 U.S.C. 5012, it would appear that, if the
Secretary of Defense were to propose that consolidation of the undergraduate pilot
training programs of the military Services, a report setting forth that proposal would have
to be made to the Senate and House committees."12 The Judge Advocate's response stated
that UHPT consolidation would require approval by both Houses in the Congress.
Then in 1975 the Office of the Secretary of Defense requested that ITRO conduct
a study of UHPT consolidation. The ITRO study concluded that "significant commonality
existed between the Army and Navy UHPT programs", and that significant savings would
result from consolidation. However, the senior ITRO board representative did not provide
any formal recommendations.13
At this time the DoD proposed to consolidate all UHPT at Fort Rucker and to
close one Navy training base and the proposal was incorporated in the FY-77 President's
budget. However, due to 1974 Judge Advocate's ruling on the legality of Title 10, United
States Code, the proposal went before Congress. It was accepted by the House by a
margin of 288 to 110, but was rejected by the Senate by a margin of 28 to 61. The House
Appropriations Committee requested another study of the proposal.
Program Budget Decision 317 directed the consolidation of UHPT at Fort Rucker
beginning in FY 1977. The House Armed Services Committee recommended separate
UHPT programs, but the House overturned the committee by approving the consolidation
proposal by floor vote. However, the Senate Armed Services Committee disagreed with
consolidation and the Senate backed them by rejecting the proposal.
In response to the increasing call from GAO and ITRO to consolidate UHPT, in
January 1977, the Navy formed a studies group to evaluate the feasibility of joint training
at Fort Rucker. The studies group consisted of both Navy and USMC officers. The team
visited both the Army Aviation Center at Fort Rucker and the Naval Air Training
Command at Pensacola to become familiar with each UHPT program. The studies group
determined that fixed-wing training was not required to produce a well qualified
helicopter pilot.14 Consequently, the Secretary of the Navy, Graham Clayton, stated "we
in the Department of the Navy support the proposal to consolidate helicopter training
with the Army at Fort Rucker."15
Also in Janurary 1977, the DoD released another study: Report of the Department
of Defense of Undergraduate Helicopter Pilot Training Consolidation, April 1977. This
report was in response to the initial congressional request to study the feasibility of
consolidating DoD UHPT. Once again, the report recommended that all DoD UHPT be
consolidated into an all rotary-wing program to be conducted by the Army at Fort
Rucker. DoD estimated that cost avoidance of $104 million for FY's 1978 through 1982
could be obtained through consolidation.16 Also, in May 1977, the GAO wrote a letter
report to the Chairman of the House Appropriations Committee validating the savings
calculations in the April DoD report. Again, the proposal went to vote in Congress with
similar results; the House recommended consolidation, but the Senate rejected it. By July
1977, the proposal to consolidate UHPT, recommended by DoD, GAO, and ITRO, had
gone to vote three times in Congress and failed each time.
In March 1978, the Defense Audit Service completed another study: Report on
the Review of Projected Savings from Consolidation of Helicopter Training. The auditors
evaluated and reconciled the differences between the Army and the Navy projected
savings from consolidation of UHPT as proposed in the April 1977 DoD report. The
auditors concluded that potential net savings of $80 million to $124 million were possible
for FY 1979 through 1983 from UHPT consolidation.17 In December 1978, the Secretary
of the Navy announced that the Navy would consolidate UHPT at Fort Rucker.